Ebenezer Scrooge Changes In A Christmas Carol

Can people truly change who they are? This a question indirectly presented for Scrooge in Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol. Ebenezer Scrooge, an evil, cold-hearted man, is the protagonist of the novella. Before the three ghosts visit Scrooge, Marley warns Scrooge to change and become a better man or he would face horrible consequences. After the ghosts visit, Scrooge has learned his lesson of what his business actually is. Ebenezer Scrooge is initially evil, but after given a chance, he becomes kind.

At the beginning of A Christmas Carol, before the ghosts visit, Scrooge is as evil as the devil. For example, when Fred comes to invite Scrooge for Christmas dinner, he rudely replies, “ ‘Every idiot who goes on about a ‘Merry Christmas’ on

Another example includes when the portly gentlemen ask Scrooge for donations and they tell him that many of the poor would rather die than go to the prison, Scrooge harshly replies, “ ‘If they would rather die...they had better do it and decrease the surplus population’ “ (10). This illustrates that Scrooge would rather have people die than give them money or donations. This is because Scrooge doesn’t care if someone dies and isn’t afraid to say so. Therefore,these scenes prove that Scrooge is evil. At the last stave of Christmas Carol, after the all the ghosts visit, Scrooge is as kind as an angel. For example, when Scrooge sees the charity worker on the street and whispers how much he would like to donate. The worker is stunned and Scrooge sweetly replied, “ ‘If you please...Not a farthing less. A great many back payments are included in it, I assure you. Will you do me that favor?’ ” (118). This shows that Scrooge actually wants to donate money from his heart without any benefit from it because now Scrooge really cares about mankind and thinks that they’re his business. This also reveals that Scrooge is kinder because of manifold way he spoke. For instance, “If you please,” or “Will you do me a favor,” are very sophisticated words